Title hat-trick for Scottish tour founders Lawrie, Tait and Henry
Paul Lawrie, Alan Ta it and John Henry have pulled off a remarkable hat-trick of victories in the space of four days on the respective tours they set up in Scotland.
Lawrie claimed his win on the Tartan Pro Tour at Montrose Links; Tait triumphed at Dumbarnie Links in the final of the Get Back to Golf Tour and Henry was victorious at the same venue in the Big Johnsons Tour.
Playing in the four th event on his circuit's Winter Series, Lawrie carded nine birdies as he shot an eight-under-par 63 for a two-shot win over Hannah Mccook, Michele Thomson and Bradley Neil.
After a birdie -birdie star t, the 1999 Open champion was out in 33, three-under, before moving up a gear on the back nine with birdies at the 11th, 13th, 14th, 15th, 17th and 18th.
His sole dropped shot in a polished performance at the Angus venue came at the 235yard par-3 16th.
"Played lovely and managed a cheeky win against the youngsters," said Lawrie, who has recently started working with B othwell Castle -based PGA pro Alan Mccloskey.
GreigHu tc he on and Kris Nicol shared victory in the first of the Tartan Pro Tour Winter Series events after car ding five-under 67s at Portlethen.
That was the same winning score at Panmure as Bradley Neil and Euan Mcintosh finished in a tie for top spot there, while a four-under 67 did the
trick for James McGhee at Scotscraig.
The next event is at Dundonald Links on Friday before visits to Gailes Links and Royal Aberdeen next week.
Like Lawrie, Taiten joyed showing he can still mix it with the young guns as he came out on top in an 18-hole shoot-out between the winners of eight regional events on his new circuit.
The 51-year-old, who was the oldest player in the field by 12
years, carded a three -underpar round of 69 in testing conditions at Dumbarnie Links to finish a shot ahead of both Jamie Mcleary and John Gallagher.
"It’s a bit of a Cinderella story," admitted Tait. "To win on a golf course of that quality, in tough conditions against seven great players, made me feel very proud.
"As the saying goes, ' there’s life in the old dog yet' and I haven’t stopped smiling since!"
Henry has had lots to smile about recently and he backed up a strong performance in the PGA Europro Tour Qualifying School final by producing a sensational display on the Big Johnsons Tour at Dumbarnie Links.
Albeit in easier conditi ons than Ta it had to contend with 48 hours earlier, his nine-under-par 63 was an outstanding effort from the black tees on the new Clive Clark designed course on the
Fife coast. Henry, who had closed with a 65 in the PGA Euro Pro Tour Qualifying School final at Studley Wood, claimed the course record with this effort, beating the 64 shot by Tom Higson earlier in the year.
The effort, which in cluded a double-bogey 6 at the last, earned Henry a four-shot win over Ca lumFyfe, with Ross Kellett, Conor O'neil and Craig Lawrie sharing third on 68.